CIHR, IDRC and PHAC support clinical trial of Ebola vaccines in Uganda

In September 2022, the Government of Uganda declared an outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV). There is no known licensed treatment or vaccine for the Sudan strain of Ebolavirus. Fortunately, thanks to quick actions taken by the Ugandan government with the support of the WHO and other international partners, transmission of the virus was curbed and an end to the outbreak was officially declared on January 11, 2023. Overall, the outbreak lasted 113 days with 142 confirmed cases and 55 deaths.

In early 2023, the WHO organized two international consultations with global experts, Uganda's Ministry of Health, and national stakeholders to discuss the research response to this outbreak. The consultations recognized that although the response to the Ebola outbreak was relatively rapid, more could be done to enable at-risk countries to respond faster. Additionally, more could be done to support clinical trials research on candidate vaccines and therapeutics so that governments could be better prepared against future outbreaks of Ebolavirus.

Following discussions with the WHO, three Canadian funding agencies, including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR,) contributed CAD4.85 million to support clinical trial research on the safety and efficacy of three candidate vaccines against Ebola to help support availability and access to life-saving interventions in the case of future Ebola outbreaks. By funding these research trials in the impacted countries, this investment also contributes to improving local preparedness and research response to future disease outbreaks. International Development Research Canada (IDRC) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) contributed the rest of the funds.

This work will help all governments prepare for pandemic risks and develop protocols and funding agreements to support clinical research.

This grant is a significant investment in the fight against Ebola and other infectious diseases. It will help to ensure that countries at risk of outbreaks have the tools and resources they need to respond quickly and effectively.

CIHR's funding contribution comes from the Centre for Research on Pandemic Preparedness and Health Emergencies.

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